


Pups are work

by orphan_account



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Almost death, Angst, Cute, Derek and Stiles are Mates, Fluff, Hurt Stiles, Multi, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-24 06:15:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21094742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The pack all get turned into wolf cubs and when the others nominate him, he has to take care of them while the other humans find a cure. Oh, and there’s a thunderstorm. That kind of screws everything up.





	Pups are work

Stiles was woken up by his phone ringing. He rolled over and grabbed it. He clicked answer and held it to his head. He mumbled out a sound into the phone.

“Stiles?” It was Lydia. “Stiles you need to get over here right now. Like right now.” There was panic in her voice and that woke Stiles’s up faster than anything else could’ve.

“What’s wrong Lydia?” He asked. “Is everyone alright?”

“In a manner of speaking yes. In other ways no.” She answered.

“Give me a straight answer Lydia!” He exclaimed.

“Just get over here!” She screamed before hanging up.

Stiles jumped up and pulled on clothes and shoes before running downstairs. He scrawled a note to his dad and ran outside, cranking his jeep and speeding towards the old Hale house. They’d rebuilt it over the summer and it was the pack house now. He pulled up the gravel driveway and jumped out.

“Lydia!” He shouted, running towards the house.

The door swung open to show Allison, looking frantic and panicked. “Stiles!” She shouted. “Get in here and help us!”

Stiles raced towards the door. “What’s wrong?”

“Get in here Stilinski!” Lydia called from the living room.

Stiles raced in, pushing the door out of the way and stopping in his tracks. “What the fuck?” He muttered.

All over the room there were wolf cubs roaming around. There were two rolling around on the floor, play fighting. Another was in the plant by the window, chewing on the plastic leaves. Lydia had one in her lap and there were one more on the couch she was leaning on, watching the one who was chewing on the plant with fond eyes. And the last one was in the arm chair, chewing on a bone.

“Don’t chew on that.” Stiles snapped automatically at the one chewing on the plant.

It dropped the leaves and looked ashamed.

Stiles looked at Lydia. “Are these?”

“Yes.” She answered. “We went after the witch tonight and she turned them all into pups.”

Stiles looked around, took a deep breath to calm himself, and nodded. “Alright. We can handle this. Call Danny and get him over here. You, Allison and him can look for a cure. I’ll deal with the pups.”

“That’s the plan.” Lydia said, pushing the pup that was in her lap off and walking over. “Good luck. You’ll need it.” She whispered as she passed him.

Stiles looked around and agreed. This might be difficult.

An hour later he’d managed to get them all up to Derek’s room and they were in a pile on the bed. He’d also even managed to figure out who was who. The blonde one with a gray streak down the spine was Erica. The dark chocolate brown with black paws and muzzle that never left Erica’s side was Boyd. They were curled up together on Derek’s pillow, exhausted as they were the ones play fighting earlier. Isaac was the one with bronze-ish fur and a light gold tail, when he yawned Stiles could see the pieces of the plastic he’d been chewing on earlier stuck between his teeth. Scott was the light chocolate cub with white paws and a goofy grin. Jackson was the one Lydia’d been petting earlier with boring gray fur with black streaks in it. And Derek was the all black one with gray paws and muzzle currently curled up at the foot of the bed, watching the pack with careful eyes. Even as a pup he was protective. Although a lot less threatening.

Stiles sighed and looked at them. “Don’t worry guys, we’ll find a cure.”

***

A week later and they still hadn’t found a way to reverse them. Stiles was still on pup duty so he was currently chasing Scott around the house because Scott had stolen his sock. Lydia, Allison, and Danny were avoiding the pack house and staying holed up at Allison’s to research without being disturbed, leaving Stiles to deal with six wolf cubs. He finally caught Scott and scooped him up.

“Scott McCall.” He said threatenly. “Let go of my sock.”

Scott opened his mouth immediately and let go of the sock. Stiles sighed and took it. He carried Scott back to the living room and put him down on the couch. Then he turned and walked into the kitchen. He’d put mountain ash in the doorway to stop the pups from coming in and eating everything. But he wasn’t cooking now. He just wanted to be alone. He sat down at the table put his head down on his arms. For the last week all he’d done is take care of the pups. He hasn’t talked to his dad since the first day, when he explained the situation and his dad said to stay as long as he needed to and he missed his voice. He hasn’t even left the house in a week, unable to leave the pups alone for any time frame at all. And frankly he’s almost reached his wits end. He hasn’t had a full night’s sleep all week because werewolves are apparently nocturnal and spend the entire night howling at the moon. There are huge bags under his eyes and he’s lost weight from the stress.

“STILES!” He heard from outside. It was Lydia.

He sighed and got up. She’d said she and the other two were coming by to see the pups and check some things.

“Pups!” He shouted, opening the front door. “Get in the living room right now or you will not get dinner tonight!”

“Bit harsh isn’t that?” Allison asked.

“Only way to make them do anything is through their stomachs.” Stiles said, annoyance in his voice. The three of them seemed a little taken aback but he just turned away and led the way to the living room. “Be careful by the way, some of them nip.” He said, holding up his bandaged right arm. They looked horrified but he just turned away. “I’m going to go lay down.” He left the room and they could hear him go upstairs and close his door. And then nothing.

Lydia, Allison, and Danny looked at each other.

“He looked awful.” Allison whispered.

“He looked like he hasn’t eaten in days.” Danny added.

“Maybe he hasn’t.” Lydia supplied. “Look, we need to fix this. Then we’ll figure out why Stiles is so sad all of a sudden.”

The other two nodded in agreement and looked at the wolves, which were all perched on the couch looking at them.

“Lydia?” Allison said. “Who’s who?”

“I have no idea.” She admitted. “Start grabbing I guess.”

A few hours later Danny went up to Stiles’s room and knocked.

“Stiles?” He called. “Can I come in?”

There was a click and a thump.

“I’m taking that as a yes.” He said. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. He looked around and zeroed in on the lump on the bed. He shut the door behind him and heard another click. He knew that now the room was soundproof. He’d set it up himself so Stiles could be alone and have privacy in the pack house if he wished to be. And now he certainly seemed to want to be alone.

“Stiles.” Danny whispered. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Stiles spat from under the blankets.

“What’s wrong?” Danny asked again.

“Is it really that complex that it’s not obvious!” Stiles screamed, throwing back the blankets. His eyes were bloodshot from crying and there were tears all over his face. The bags were more pronounced and he looked almost dead. Danny was in shock.

“Stiles.” He whispered.

Stiles growled. “Get out of my room Danny. Now.”

Danny turned and fled the room, running downstairs.

“Danny?” Lydia asked. “What’s wrong?”

“He-he-he.”

“Stop.” Allison said. “Breathe.”

Danny immediately took deep, slow breathes and calmed himself. “He was crying. The bags under his eyes are huge and he looks like shit.”

“What’s wrong?” Lydia asked.

“I have no idea. He growled at me to get out when I asked.”

Allison sighed sadly. “We can’t do anything. We have an idea how to fix the wolves and then we’ll talk to him. It has to be done tonight.”

Danny nodded. “Let’s get going then. There’s supposed to be a storm tonight and I don’t like driving in storms.”

The girls nodded and grabbed their things, running through the already pouring rain to Danny’s car.

Inside Stiles watched his friends run to their car in the rain and wiped new tears off his face. Maybe things will be better in the morning.

***

That night he was woken up by scratching at his door. He opened his eyes and as flash of lightning lit the room and then thunder shook the house. There was frantic whining outside the door and Stiles stood up quickly to go see what it was. He opened the door and saw Scott, curled up by his door.

“Scott?” He whispered. “What’s wrong?”

There was another flash and crash and Scott whimpered, shooting out to sit on his foor and hide his face up Stiles’s pant leg.

“You’re scared of the thunder?” Stiles whispered. “Well come here then.” He scooped Scott up and Scott buried his face in Stiles’s neck. “I’d forgotten you were scared of thunder when you were little. I guess being turned into a wolf emphasized it again.”

Scott was snuffling around and whined at the smell of tears on Stiles’s face.

“I’m fine Scott. Just a little tired of all of this. No one seems to care about me anymore.”

Scott shoved his muzzle into his face and rubbed against him.

“Yea I know you do Scott. You always have. But I’m talking about the others. I always do every piece of research you guys need for whatever is trying to kill us and I never get anything in return. And I don’t want like a reward or something, but you know, just once I’d like to hear thank you. Or ‘good job’. Or ‘you did good Stiles’. Just something. Just once I’d love to hear something nice come out of Derek’s mouth. Directed at me. He praises you guys all the times but with me it’s insult after insult after insult. I hate it. I just want to hear something nice for once. You know?”

Scott just snuffled him and then hid in his neck again, trembling, as there was another clap of thunder. Stiles sighed and rubbed Scott’s fur.

“I doubt you understood a word of that, but it felt good to get it out.” He sighed. “Come on. You can sleep here tonight.” He carried him over to the bed and set him down. Scott immediately tunneled under the covers and curled up in a lump.

Stiles smiled fondly. “You’re an idiot sometimes Scott.” Just as he was about to get in bed, there was a whine at the door. Stiles looked over to see Isaac standing there, shaking. There was a clap of thunder and he whined.

“Come on Isaac.” Stiles said. “You can stay here too.”

Isaac bound across the room and launched himself under the bed and burrowed under to join Scott. Stiles rolled his eyes at the two of them and looked up as the room filled with a flash of lightning and then shook with thunder. The wolves under the bed whined and Stiles reached out to pet through the blanket. The trembling settled a little, but it was still noticeable. There was a collective whine from the door and he looked over to see three more wolves. Jackson, Erica, and Boyd. He smiled.

“Come on.” He said, waving them over. They bounded over and jumped up into the bed. Erica and Boyd immediately joined the other two under the blanket while Jackson stopped to glare at him.

Stiles smiled. “Don’t worry. I know It’s just because you’re a pup. I won’t hold it over you. Promise.”

Jackson nodded and burrowed under the blanket. Stiles never thought he could call Jackson cute but in that moment he was adorable with his too big paws and over confidence. He looked at the door one last time, hoping Derek would join them too, but he knew he wouldn’t. The big bad alpha’s too tough to sleep with the pups. He sighed and got into the bed. He pulled the covers over himself and smiled slightly as he felt all the pups moved so they were pressed against his legs and back. He could feel them tense up every time there was a clap of thunder, but they weren’t shaking so much anymore. Slowly, he felt them all relax one by one as they fell asleep. Soon enough they were all asleep and Stiles was surrounded with warmth. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard another whine. He sat up slightly and looked at the door. Derek was standing there, legs splayed wide to stop the shaking from knocking him over.

Stiles smiled. “Come on alpha. This is a no judge night.”

Derek padded over quickly and jumped up onto the bed. Stiles pulled back the covers and Derek curled up against his chest. He pulled the covers back up and slipped his arm around Derek’ wolf form. There was another clap of thunder and Derek whined, shaking against Stiles’s chest.

“You’re alright.” He whispered. “It’s all alright. It’s just a storm.” He kept whispering to Derek, losing track of what exactly was coming out of his mouth, as he pet him gently. Whatever he ended up saying seemed to work as the trembling subsided and Stiles kept talking until he felt Derek relax beneath his hand and fall asleep. Then he took a deep breath to calm his heart down. Slowly, he let himself relax and slip back to sleep.

***

The next morning he woke up to any empty bed and a loud house. He could hear everyone talking and messing around and just being loud in general and he took a moment to soak it all in. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed this. The sounds of a pack.

“It’s great isn’t it?” Derek’s voice came from Stiles’s bathroom door. Stiles looked over, slightly scared.

“What is?”

“The sounds of a happy pack.” Derek said. “To an alpha it’s one of the best sounds in the world. Second only to one that I know of.”

“And what’s that?”

“When the one they love says they love them back.”

Stiles tried not to let it show as his heart broke. He’d been hiding it so well for months. Ever since the kanima incident at the pool. He knew that night. He’d probably felt it before, but that was the night he knew. And now Derek was talking to him about the person he loves. And that person loved him back. He was about to lose Derek forever. Could his life get any worse?

“What’s wrong Stiles?” Derek asked. “Your heart skipped there like it does when you’re in pain. Did one of the pups scratch you last night?”

Stiles shook his head. “I’ll be alright.” He said. Not a lie. “I just need a second.” A little lie, it’ll be a long time before he’s perfectly alright again. “Just a little sore from sleeping with wolves all night.” Again, not a lie. Every muscle in his body ached with stiffness. He probably didn’t move all night. “And speaking of the pups, I can hear them. Does that mean it’s fixed?”

Derek nodded. “Yea, we’re all human again. And now we can even shift into a full wolf whenever we want to. So it was a gift after all. They don’t remember much about it , just flashes. I remember more than them, probably because I’m an alpha, but I still don’t remember it all.”

Stiles forced a smile. “Good. That’s great. Look I need a shower so if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.” Derek said. But instead of leaving he stepped forward and grabbed Stiles’s arms. His veins turned black running up his arms under his henley’s pushed up sleeves and Stiles gasped. He pulled his arms away.

“What are you doing?!” He exclaimed.

“Taking some of your pain so you can go take a shower.” Derek said it as though it was obvious. Which maybe to him it was.

“You don’t need to do that.” Stiles said carefully. “I’m fine. Go downstairs and make sure they don’t eat everything in the house.”

Derek nodded and left the room. Stiles heard a distinct click before and after he opened the door. Well at least they’d been soundproofed for that conversation. And now he was soundproofed for the major freak out he needed to have.

Stiles sat on his bed for a moment and then pulled his legs to his chest and buried his head in his knees, letting his sobs tear through him. He let all his emotions pour out of him in screams and tears. Everything he’d been holding in for months came pouring at in wordless sobbing.

Soon, he calmed down and went to the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. He looked worse than he did yesterday. He turned away from the mirror and started undressing to shower.

Downstairs Derek was sitting at the table, fidgeting. “Well why’d he pull away?” He asked again. “It was like he hated me touching him. But he said all those things and he meant them. I could feel it. I can feel him.”

Lydia sighed again and turned to look at him. “You are worse than Scott when Isaac gets mad at him.”

The rest of the pack nodded in agreement. Scott blushed and Isaac smiled slightly.

Derek groaned and dropped his head to his arms. “I don’t know what I did wrong.” He mumbled.

Scott reached out and set a hand on his alpha’s shoulder. “It’ll be alright Der. I know him and I know he loves you.”

“How?” Derek asked, looking up. “And don’t call me Der.” He added, scowling.

Scott smiled. “Because the idiot talks in his sleep after a too big dose of Adderall.” He explained. “And last month he took an overdose and was chattering away after he passed out. I heard it all. He loves you. But he doesn’t know you love him back. You have to tell him. Or he’ll probably just think you’re mocking him. And he won’t take kindly to be mocked.”

Derek nodded. “Okay. I just have to tell him.”

“And I’d say remind him of what he said last night.” Isaac added. “I can’t remember hardly anything of the last week, but he seemed pretty tired and out of it.”

“Are you saying he might not have meant to say it?” Derek asked.

“He does that sometimes.” Scott said. “When he gets drunk or exceptionally tired he starts to blab. Says things he didn’t want to say. But he can’t lie then. It’s kind of funny to watch him try. And judging by what they’ve said about how he looked yesterday, he was probably at the blabbering point.”

Derek nodded and set his head down. “I hate not knowing what to do.” He admitted.

Jackson laughed. “Get used to it Derek. Stiles and Lydia are two peas in a pod and I never know what to do.”

Lydia smiled and kissed her boyfriend’s cheek. “That’s why I forgive you and tell you.”

Derek smiled slightly and closed his eyes. He tried focusing on Stiles’s heart beat but the soundproofing was a good job and he couldn’t hear anything. He growled slightly.

“Calm down Derek.” Danny said, knowing what was happening. “He’s alright. There’s emergency protocols. You know that.” Derek did. If a heartbeat within the room stops or Stiles says the unlocking code words, the soundproofing will open. Danny added it at Derek’s secret request and Scott’s known request to make them feel better about not being able to hear his heartbeat when he’s got it closed.

Derek took a few deep breaths to calm down but that was pretty much canceled when he heard a click and Stiles’s heart beat flooded his ears. He relaxed visibly, able to hear that he was alright. He stood up and grabbed the plate of food he’d saved for him from the microwave, handing it to him as he entered the room. Stiles looked a little shocked but gave a timid smile and looked at Scott.

“Scott.” He said. “Come on. You too Isaac.” He turned and walked away. Derek made to follow but Stiles’s spoke again. “Stay down here Derek. I’m fine.” There was a skip in his heart, he was lying, but Derek nodded anyways and stood aside to let the two betas pass. They followed Stiles back upstairs and into his room. There was a harsh click as the soundproofing closed after them, blocking all of their heart beats from Derek’s ears. Derek’s heartbeat picked up and his throat constricted. He stumbled and fell to the floor. He knew he was having a panic attack, but he couldn’t think. Lydia was in front of him, talking, but he couldn’t hear it. All he could hear was the absence of Stiles’s heartbeat. He gasped for breath he couldn’t get and his vision was blurry with tears.

Then there was a sharp pain across his cheek. Then again on the other one. And then a fist slammed into his face. He snarled and lunged forward, but strong arms grabbed him. He recognized the scents. Jackson and Boyd. Pack. He relaxed and shifted back to human.

“What was that?” Lydia demanded.

“He doesn’t want me.” Derek whispered. “He didn’t mean it. He doesn’t want me. He hates me.”

Upstairs, Stiles was sitting on the bed with Scott and Isaac, eating his breakfast while they talked, Stiles wincing every once in a while if he moved his hand to much and the scratches on his arm pulled. At first it was small talk about what it felt like to be a wolf and how they feel, but then, as Stiles swallowed the last bite and set the plate aside, he turned to the topic all three of them were avoiding.

“What the fuck is wrong with Derek?” Stiles demanded.

“What do you mean?” Scott asked, glancing at Isaac.

“He was here when I woke up.” Stiles said. “And then he-“ his voice broke as he remembered that Derek had told him he’d found someone. He shook it off and plowed on. “He asked if I was okay. If any of you had scratched me last night. As if any of you would hurt me and not be attached to me afterwards until I was better.”

Scott and Isaac both blushed at that, having accidently hurt Stiles before and then followed him around helping him with everything until he yelled at them that he was better and to leave him alone.

“And then when I said I was sore from not moving much last night while I slept, he grabbed my arms and started taking my pain. My pain! He never does that!”

“Maybe he just wanted to thank you for dealing with six wolf cubs for a weak.” Isaac suggested.

Stiles snorted. “Derek never says thank you. He never says anything nice. Or does anything nice. Especially not to me. Maybe to you because you’re his pack, but I’m just a fragile, tag along human.” He said the last bit with venom. He knew he was weak and he hated admitting it.

“Maybe being a wolf cub changed him.” Scott said.

Stiles snorted again. “Me saving his ass multiple times from multiple things never changed him, why should him being a wolf for week change him?”

“Maybe you should ask him that.” Isaac suggested.

Stiles rolled his eyes. “You two don’t get it. I can’t talk to him. He hates my guts. He’d just slam me against a wall or throw me across the room or something and tell me to mind my own business.”

The two wolves looked at each other and sighed.

“You tell him.” Scott said.

“Hell no. Your best friend. You tell him.” Isaac countered.

Scott sighed. “Exactly why you should tell him. So my relationship with him stays okay.”

Isaac rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot.”

“Yes but I’m yours so you’ll tell him.”

“But-” Isaac started. But Scott never heard but what as Stiles burst just then.

“BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!” He glared at Scott. “You are my best friend and you will tell me right now what’s going on or I’m done.” His voice was low and threatening, a bit of a growl in the back.

Scott and Isaac both gulped. Scott nodded and took a deep breath.

“Last night you told Derek about um…well…”

“Now Scott.” Stiles growled.

“You told Derek you love him.” Isaac said quickly before hiding behind Scott.

Stiles was in shock. “I did what?” He whispered.

“You hit your tired wall.” Scott said. “You were blabbering last night to calm him down from the storm. And you, well you talked.”

Stiles started hyperventilating a bit. “No wonder he hates me.” He whispered. “He said this morning he loved someone. That wasn’t spontaneous share with Stiles time. He was trying to tell me he hates me nicely. And he took my pain because he pitys me. He doesn’t want to hurt me by flat out telling me he hates me because I’d leave and you two would both follow and probably Lydia and Jackson would follow Lydia and Allison wouldn’t stay without us here and all of a sudden he wouldn’t have a strong pack. Of course. Of fucking course.” He started gasping.

“Shit.” Scott said. He pulled away from Isaac and pushed Stiles down onto the bed and kneeled over him. “Get Derek Isaac!” He shouted. He put his hands on Stiles’s shoulders and pulled some pain out.

“Don’t you fucking dare leave me Stilinski.” He muttered. “Not now. Everything is fucking perfect and you are not leaving me! We have plans you asshole and I am holding you to your promise to take me out for my first legal drink on my twenty-first! You are not going now!”

“What’s wrong? Derek growled, appearing at the side of the bed.

“Panic attack.” Scott spat. “The only problem is any panic attack he has could literally kill him.”

Derek growled and pushed Scott out of the way. He leaned over Stiles.

“Don’t you dare bite him Derek Hale!” Lydia shouted from the door.

“Not going to bite him.” Derek growled back. “Going to save him.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to Stiles. The veins in neck went black as he absorbed Stiles’s pain. He pulled back his eyes flashed red as Stiles gasped, breathing easy again.

“Hospital.” Scott said. “Now.”

Derek nodded and picked Stiles up, rushing out.

They were all in the waiting room when the Sheriff ran in. He spotted the pack and ran over.

“What happened?!” He demanded.

“He had a panic attack.” Scott said. He looked the worst. But his best friend is possibly dying so he had right to be.

“Why?” He asked. “What triggered it?”

Scott looked up at Isaac, who he was leaning against. “Derek.” He answered.

The Sheriff swung on Derek and was about to start screaming but Scott spoke first.

“Stiles panicked because he thought Derek hated him. That he was only being nice this morning because Stiles told Derek last night about his feelings when he was tired blabbing and thinks that Derek is trying to let him down easy because he thinks Derek doesn’t see him as pack and thinks that if he hurt Stiles but flat out telling him and making Stiles leave that I’d follow him, as well as Isaac and Lydia. And Jackson would follow Lydia. And Allison wouldn’t stay with Derek if we left. And while that’s true it would never happen. Derek would never make Stiles leave. He’d probably beg him to stay.”

Derek blushed a bit but kept eye contact with the Sheriff as he looked at him.

“Is that all true Derek?”

Derek nodded. “I can’t lose him sir.”

“Why not?”

Derek closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before opening them again to answer. “He’s my mate. I’d follow him anywhere.”

The pack looked a little shocked. They’d known Derek loved Stiles but they hadn’t even thought about them being mates.

“That’s why you freaked this morning.” Jackson stated. “You couldn’t deal with even the thought of him saying all of that last night and not meaning a single word of it.”

Derek didn’t answer, just lowered his eyes and slumped in his seat.

“Can that happen?” Lydia asked quietly. “A wolf and human mated pair.”

“You and Jackson are.” The Sheriff said.

“Technically I’m a banshee.” Lydia said. “Not human. And the only other pairs are both wolves.”

“Yes it can happen.” Derek whispered. “But it’s uncommon. Not rare just different.”

“So you’re saying you’re mated to my son?” The Sheriff asked.

“No.” Derek admitted. “He doesn’t know about my feelings. Like Scott said, he thinks I hate him.”

“Well you do habitually slam him into walls.” Erica observed.

“Because I don’t know what else to do!” Derek exclaimed, his eyes flashing. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. When he opened his eyes again they were normal and sad. “I don’t know how else to act with him. I love him but up until last night I thought he hated me. I couldn’t stay away from him but every time I was close it was like fire. It’s warmth was great, but the burn afterwards knowing I wouldn’t have him was more painful than anyone can imagine.”

Allison came racing in and Danny jumped up to hug her tightly.

Derek just groaned at the happy sight and buried his head in his hands.

“Tell me everything.” The Sheriff demanded, pulling up a chair. “Now.”

Derek looked up and took a deep breath before beginning. “The first time I saw your son in the forest there was something about him. I hated it because I didn’t know what it was. I know the kid with him, Scott, was freshly bitten though, so I figured eventually I’d see him again. And I did. Almost made him cut my arm off with a bone saw.” The Sheriff winced at that, just like he had when Stiles had told him the first time. “That was the night I knew there was something. I didn’t know what and I didn’t know why but when he held that saw to my arm, ready to do it, something happened. I ignored it for months. I didn’t want any attachments. I was horrible and mean to him because I wanted to push him away from me. And then the kanima trapped us in the pool and I had to trust him to hold me above the water while the paralysis wore off. And I knew what it was. I let my mind open and he was there. I knew then and there that he was my mate. But I didn’t say anything. He isn’t even eighteen yet. He’s too young to get tied down forever. I don’t want to make him do something now that he’ll regret in ten years. Or twenty years. I want him to be sure about it. So I didn’t say anything. I protected him as well as I could without giving it away and I went on with my life. I rebuilt the house because he always complained about how we need a place where the pack could just be themselves and howl at the moon. I agreed and had it rebuilt. I hid my love, my need, for him as well as I possibly could, but then we met those witches in the forest last week and they turned us into pups and left us on our own doorstep. The girls found us an hour later when they got back from their patrol. And then they called Stiles. For a week I tried to control myself around him, tried not to show him anything. But last night there was a thunderstorm and I couldn’t handle it. The noise to a pups ears is awful. I could hear the others joining Stiles and listened to him welcome them all in. He whispered to them as they all fell asleep, and then I couldn’t stay away anymore. I went to his room and he welcomed me in. Said it was a no judge night. He let me under the blankets like the others and curled up against his chest. He put his arm around me and started whispering about how everything was going to be alright and that it was just a storm. I relaxed a bit but it was only when his voice dropped even quieter and started muttering about everything he liked about me that I relaxed fully. He said he loved me just as I was falling asleep. The next morning the girls came to change us back and then the others started breakfast while I went up to wait for him. I figured he’d want to talk about last night. But he acted like it hadn’t happened. He said he was sore from not moving enough in his sleep because of all of us around him and I reached out to take his pain so he could take a comfortable shower. He snatched his arm away and told me to wait downstairs. I did and had a minor freak out as well.”

“Minor?” Isaac scoffed. “More like psychotic.”

“Compared to the one I had a few minutes later, it was minor.” Derek countered.

“True point.” Isaac conceded.

“Keep going Derek.” The Sheriff ordered.

Derek nodded and started up again. “He came down and I gave him the plate of food he’d asked me to save for him. But he didn’t say anything to me. Just told Scott and Isaac to go upstairs with him. They went into his room and he turned the soundproofing on. Then I melted down. I couldn’t hear anything but the absence of his heart beat and although I knew he was still alive I felt like I’d lost him because it was obvious he didn’t want me. I’d just managed to calm down when Isaac came out of his room and shouted for me. I ran upstairs to find him unconscious. I drained as much pain from him as I could and then brought him here. They took him and we’ve been waiting ever since.” He looked up at the Sheriff for the first time since he started and the Sheriff saw the tears running down his face. “I can’t lose him.” He said again. “I can’t.”

The Sheriff nodded and stood up to wrap Derek in a hug. Derek buried his face in the Sheriff’s uniform, breathing in the smells Stiles so often carries on his clothes. The same detergent, the same body soap, the same home smell. Derek relaxed a bit and the Sheriff rubbed his back as Derek breathed it in.

“Thank you.” He whispered, pulling away.

Sheriff smiled. “No problem.”

Everyone looked at Melissa as she walked up. “Good news, he’s going to be fine. All his organs are working right and he’s alright.” She said smiling. Everyone gasped in relief and started hugging.

“What’s the bad news?” Derek asked quietly. “You said good news, that implies bad news to follow.”

Melissa nodded, her face sad. “He won’t wake up. The anesthetic is out of his system, but he’s not waking up.”

Derek’s breath caught and he lowered his head to hands again. The tears flowed fresh and heavy as he tried not to sob in the middle of the hospital. He felt the pack around him, pressing together for comfort as they felt their alpha’s pain.

“Can I see him?” He gasped.

Melissa looked to John, who nodded.

“Alright.” She said. “Come on. But only you and one other.”

“Scott.” Derek said.

Scott nodded and pulled from Isaac’s grip. Melissa led them down the halls to a closed room.

“He’s in there. Take the time you need.” She said, tears in her voice, before walking away.

Scott looked at Derek and offered his hand to Derek with a smile. “Together?”

Derek smiled back slightly and took Scott’s hand, gripping it tight as they entered the room. They both stopped and tried to hold back their sobs, but little sounds escaped. Stiles was on the bed, slightly pale, surrounded by machines. They dropped each other’s hands and moved to either side of the bed, picking up Stiles’s hands instead.

“Can you do anything?” Scott asked.

“I can damn well try.” Derek answered. He pressed the hand that wasn’t in Stiles’s against his forehead and started to pull pain. When he stopped his breath was shaky. “I can’t take anymore.”

“You think if we all take some he’d wake up?” Scott asked.

Derek looked at him and nodded. “It’s damn worth a try.”

“Alright, I’ll take some and then go back and send Isaac. There can only be two people here at once and I’m guessing you aren’t leaving him.” Derek growled at the suggestion. “Didn’t think so. One by one we can come in take some of his pain. By the time we’re done you might be able to take a little more. We’ll wake him up Derek. I know we will.”

Derek nodded and moved his hand from Stiles’s head so Scott could put his hand there instead. He watched Stiles face and didn’t look away. He didn’t look away as one by one each wolf came in, took pain, and left to send in the next one. He only looked up when a hand touched his shoulder. He looked up to see Scott was there again.

“Can you take more?” He asked.

Derek nodded and set his hand on Stiles’s forehead again. He reached deep inside Stiles and pulled. He threw his head back, eyes flashing, and then he pulled away as he heard a gasp. He looked down at saw Stiles’s looking at him.

“Derek?” He asked. “Derek what did you do? Derek?!”

Derek tried to answer but his vision went black before he could form the words he’d longed to say for months.

There was an annoying beeping sound as he woke up.

“Shut that damn clock off.” He grunted.

“Derek!” He heard a voice exclaimed. “You’re alright!”

“I’m always alright.” He growled, sitting up. He saw he was on a couch in a hospital room and Stiles was on the bed. Stiles. He jumped up and hurried over, throwing his arms around the boy and breathing him in.

“Well hey to you to.” Stiles said laughing, rubbing Derek’s back and then tangling his fingers in his hair. He tugged lightly and pulled Derek away so he could look at him. “You’re an idiot, you know that?”

Derek looked offended but Stiles just smiled and pulled him closer, leaning up to press their lips together.

“Don’t ever do that to me again.” He whispered against Derek’s lips before pulling away and glaring at him. “I’m serious. I thought you were dying. When Scott comes in you can ask him. I tried to get out of this stupid bed to get to you.”

“What happened?” Derek asked.

“You passed out. Deaton said you’re lucky to be alive after pulling that much pain. Said the only reason you survived was because you pulled it from me. Your mate.” He said the last two words with a teasing tone in his voice.

Derek’s eyes widened. “How-?”

“Scott and Isaac.” He said. “You’ve been out for three days and they had to calm me down somehow. By the way, I meant it all. Everything I said.”

“Really?” Derek asked quietly.

Stiles grinned. “Of course asshole! Scott told you I can’t lie when I’m that tired!”

Derek grinned. “You meant it. All of it.”

Stiles laughed. “Yes you idiot. I love you and I want to be with you. I want to wake up in the morning to see you. I want to get to fall asleep in your arms. I want to make meals for the pack with you in your kitchen. I want to live with you at the pack house. I want to have your dick up my ass so deep your cum shoots out my nose.”

“Well I didn’t need to hear that.” John’s voice came from the door.

“Dad!” Stiles exclaimed, blushing.

Derek ducked his head, a blush creeping across his face and neck. Stiles reached out absently and stroked it while staring at his dad.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.” John said. “Better for my health anyway.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Stiles exclaimed, looking at Derek.

“Still not quite awake.” He admitted. “And everyone sounds the same in this place.”

“Uuugghhh.” Stiles said. “Useless wolf.”

Derek frowned and Stiles immediately leaned up to kiss his forehead. “I didn’t mean it babe.”

Derek scowled at the nickname and John laughed. “I’m glad you two figured it out. I was thinking I’d have to intervene.”

Both boys blushed at that.

“Ready to go home now son?” John asked. “Melissa said if you’re up to it you can be released today.”

“Can I go to the pack house?” He asked. “I want to see everyone and it’s easier there than at our house.”

John nodded and looked at Derek. “You take care of him.”

Derek smiled. “I will sir. I promise.” Then he looked down at Stiles and bent to whisper the words he's wanted to say for months into Stiles's ear. "I love you. I love you and you are my mate."


End file.
